Fuel distributing unit



A. L. PARKER FUEL DISTRIBUTING UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 6, 1940.

Filed June l5, 19.36

Feb. 6', 1940. A. L. PARKER FUEL DISTRIBUTING UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l5, 1936 Feb. 6, 1940. A L., PARKER 2,189,674

FUEL DISTRIBUTING UNIT Filed June 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v La L w Q w W KS 5% k? m Q3 Y www ww* i N X w '////U ////////////////////U g Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a fuel distributing unit which is particularly adapted for use in aircraft.

An object of the invention is to provide a fuel 5 distributing una which induces a self-contained, hand-operated fuel pump and a self-contained, power-operated fuel pump, which pumps are detachably and directly connected to each other so that the pumps may be separately manufactured 1 and assembled in a unit without the use of intervening connecting pipes and the like.

A further object of theinvention is to provide av fuel distributing unit of the above type wherein a strainer unit is detachably connected to the pumps and constructed so as to supply fuel directly to either of the pumps when in operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fuel distributing unit of` the above type wherein a relief valve is detachably and directly connected to the power-operated pump and disposed so asto bypass fuel from the delivery to the receiving side of the pump when pressure on the systeiri reachesa predetermined degree. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fuel distributing unit of the above type wherein the relief valve is so constructed that fuel may be passed through the elief rvalve from the hand-operated pump' and around the poweroperated pump to the delivery side thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to' provide a fuel distributing unit of the above type wherein a distribution valve is detachably and directly connected to the strainer so that fuel may be supplied to the system selectively from separate storage tanks.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a view'patly in section and partly in side elevation showing a fuel distributing unit embodying the improvements;

Fig. la is -a sectional view through the rear valve at the delivery side of the pump;

Fig. 2 is' a view partly in side elevation and partly in section in a plane at rightangles to the rotary shaft of the power-operated pump;

Fig. 3 is a topk plan view of the fuel distributing unit as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section through the relief valve, and

Fig. 5 iS a sectional view through the strainerA unit.

'In a fuel distributing system for aircraft. it is particularly desirable to use a power-operated pump and a. hand-operated pump, and that these pumps shall be brought together in Va single unit placed at a low point in the system. It has been a common practice to construct a single housing which contains the power-operated pump and the hand-operated pump. While this brings the pumps into close compact relation to each other, there are many objections to the assembling of the pumps ina single housing. Applicant has conceived of a fuel distributing unit wherein the power-operated pump is self-contained and .can be manufactured as a separate unit. The handoperated pump is also self-contained and may be manufactured as a separate unit. 'I'hese two u 1 pumps are detachably and directly connected to each other. The power-operated pump is preferably placed at the delivery side of the handoperated pump. Associated with the poweroperated pump and detachably connected thereto 20 is a housing for a relief valve. This' relief valve housing is connected to the power-operated pump both at the receiving side and the, delivery side. The relief Valve is so constructed that when the pressure on the sys- 24.5. tem reaches a predetermined degree, the fuel will pass through the relief valve from the delivery side to the receiving side of the pump. This relief valve is also so constructed that fuel from the hand-operated pump may pass through ports $0 in the relief valve to the delivery sideof the power-operated pump. These ports are controlled by a valve which prevents any fuel from flowing back through the relief valve unless the pressure is sufficient to open the relief valve. 35 Connected to the hand-operated pump is a housing for a strainer. This strainer housing is connected both to the receiving side and the delivery side of the hand-operated pump, and there is a check valve in the passage leading to the delivery d0 side so as to prevent fuel from flowing back into the strainer from the delivery side of the hand- .operated pump when said pump is being operated. Connected to this strainer housing is a distribution unit including a valve so that fuel may be 46 selectively obtained from separate tanks. l

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the improved fuel distributing unit includes a handoperated pump indicated at l and a poweroperated pump indicated at 2. The hand- 60 operated pump I includes a casing in which' is l mounted a shaft 3 which can be oscillated by means of a crank arm 4. Within the housing is a liner 5 and mounted on the shaft 3 is a vane 5 winch extends diametrically vacross the housing 55 and makes contact with the liner 5. Fuel is directed to the hand-operated pump through the passage 1. Thefuel passes into the chamber 8 controlled by valves 9, axwhich allow the fuel to pass freely through intothe pump, but prevents any backward movement of the fuel'into the supply passage 1. The wall of the chamber 8 has a packed connection with the sleeve I Il of the vane 6. In the upper part of the pump there is a chamber II and valves I2 and I2a (see Figures land la.) which prevents the fluid from passing back into the pump when it has been forcibly delivered therefrom. The Wall of this chamber has a packed connection with the sleeve of the vane. The fuel can pass through the vane sleeve from one side thereof to the other. It is thought that the operation of this pump will be obvious. When the vane is oscillated in one direction, fuel will be drawn into the pump chamber, and when oscillated in the other direction, it will be forced out of the chamber into the delivery passage I3. 'Ihe casing of the hand-operated pump has an extension I4 containing the passage I3.

The power-operated pump 2 includes a shaft I5 which is mounted in suitable bearings in the casing of the pump. This shaft may be operated in any suitable way from the power plant of the aircraft. A exible shaft is indicated at I6 which may be used for this purpose. Mounted on this shaft I is a drum I1 carrying radial vanes I8 which are of the usual construction. The pump is rotated continuously and will take fuel from the passage I 9 and deliver the same into the passage 20 which is connected through suitable piping with the carbureter.

The casing of the pump 2 is provided with an extension 2| containing the receiving passage I9 for the power-operated pump. The extensions lll and 2I are both provided with flanges which are secured together by suitable bolts 22. Located in recesses in the flanges is a packing gasket 23 which makes a fluidtight connection between the two pumps. Through this means the two pumps are detachably and directly'connected to each other.

The casing of the power-operated pump has a lateral extension 24 (see Fig. 2). Detachably connected to this lateral extension is a housing 25 containing a relief valve. The housing 25 is provided with a passage 26 connected to a passage 21 leading to the intake side of the poweroperated pump. The housing is also provided with a passage 28 which is connected to a passage 29 leading to the delivery side'of the poweroperated pump. This relief valve housing is detachably secured to the casing of the poweroperated pump by suitable bolts 30. Packing gaskets are used similar to the gasket 23 for making a uidtight joint between the housing for the relief valve and the casing of the power-operated pump.

The housing 25 for the relief valve is provided with a cross-partition 3| having an opening 32 therethrough. A sleeve 33 is inserted in the housing 25 and this sleeve has an inwardly projecting flange 34 at its upper end which clamps a packing gasket 35 against the under face of the partition 3I. A cap 36 is threaded into the lower end of the housing and holds this sleeve in place. This cap 36 has a centralstem 31 on which is mounted an abutment sleeve 38. This abutment sleeve l extends the full length of the stem and normally rests against the cap 36. The stem 38 has a port 39 therethrough. Threaded into the stem 31 is a rod 40 carrying a sleeve 4I which has a threaded engagement with the inner wall of the stem 31. This rod extends above the threaded portion 4I and bears against the upper end of the abutment sleeve 38. The rod extends througha packing nut 42 which forms a iiuidtight connection for the rod. By turning the rod in one direction, it can be threaded into the stem and thus raised so as to lift the abutment sleeve 38 to a different set position. When it is turned in the opposite direction, then it will lower the abutment sleeve until it reaches a limit where it rests on the cap 36.

The relief valve 43 has a telescoping engagement with the abutment sleeve 38. The relief valve has a projecting head 44 at its upper end. which when raised, contacts with the gasket 35 for closing the opening 32 in the partition 3I. A coiled spring 45 operates to hold the relief valve in raised position in contact with the gasket 35. Surrounding this coiled spring is a rubber sylphon bellows 46. The spring is housed within the sylphon bellows and is nested in grooves formed in the bellows. The spring bears against the upper end of the bellows and presses the same against the head of the relief valve. It also bears against the lower portion of the bellows and presses the same against theabutment sleeve 38. This sylphon bellows forms an airtight chamber, the purpose of which will be described later. By adjusting the rod 40, the abutment sleeve is raised or lowered, and thus the tension of the spring holding the relief valve closed can be varied.

When the system is lled with fuel through the operation of the power-operated pump, it will bear against the head of the relief valve, and when the system reaches a predetermined degree so that the pressure overcomes the tension of the spring closing the relief valve, it will open and let the fuel pass back through the opening 32 in the partition to the passage 26. and thus to the receiving side of the power-operated pump.

The relief valve is provided with radial ports l1 the inner ends of which lead upwardly to the upper face of the head of'the relief valve. A check valve 48 slides on a stem 50. A nut 5I is threaded on to this stem and provides an abutment for a spring 52 which bears on the check valve 48 and normally holds the same against the head of the relief valve, thus closing the ports 41. The fuel which is being delivered by the poweroperated pump creates a pressure against the upper face of this check valve and seats the same so that it doesnot function when the poweroperated pump is in action. The relief valve operates solely as a means for establishing a connection from the delivery side of the poweroperated pump to the receiving side thereof, when the pressure reaches a predetermined degree. When the power-operated pump is not in operation and it is desired to supply fuel to the carbureter by the use of the hand-operated pump, then the fuel will pass from the delivery passage I3 through the receiving passage I9 and into the passage 26. The sleeve 33 has an opening therethrough so that the fuel will pass into the sleeve and into the ports 41, lifting the check valve 48 so that the fuel can pass through the opening 32 into the passage 29 and then out through the passage 20 to the carbureter. Thus it is that the fuel may be supplied by the hand-operated pump to the system when the power-operated pump is idle.

The cap 36 is provided with a port 53 .which leads to a port 54 in the rod 40, and this port 54 is in register with the port 39 in the abutment sleeve. When air issupplied to the port 53, it

will pass into the chamber 55 in the relief valve and out through radial ports 56 into the bellows;

Theport 53 is connected through suitable piping with the air supply system for the carbureter, so that when a supercharger is used, the pressure on the relief valve will be varied to correspond to the pressure on the fuel line so 'that the pressure under which the 4system operates will be practically uniform v Attached to the casing for the hand-operated pump is a housing 51 for a strainer 58'. This housing 51 is provided with an extension 59 which isconnected to an extension 60 on the casing of the hand-operated pump, Which extension 60 contains' the supply passage 1. The extensions 59 and 68 are provided with anges, and these iianlges are connected 'by suitable bolts 6|, 6|. The housing 51 has an extension 62 which is flanged at 63 and this flange '63 is connected to a liange 64 carried by the exten- .sion '|4. The two iianges 63 and 64' are detachably connected by suitable bolts 65, 65. The extension 62 has a passage 66 which leads to the passage 61. The extension 62 has a partition- 68 with an opening 68 therethrough. A valve 10 closes this opening and,prevents fuel from passing back 'into the strainer housing. but permits the free flow of fuel through the valve and directly to the power-operated pump.

Fuel may ow from the strainer housing also directly to the supply passage 1 and thus to the hand-operated pump. 'I'he strainer 58 is of' the usual construction.' It is cylindrical in shape and is connected at the receiving end to a ring 1|. It is also connected at its other end to a 'ring 12 which is seated in a cap 13 which closes the housing for the strainer. The fuel is directed into the passage 14, thence into Athe strainer, and through the strainer into the cham ber 15 surrounding the same, and from thisl chamber. 15 the fuel may pass to the hand-operated pump or to the power-operated pump in the manner above described.

Attached to the strainer unit is a distribution unit which includes a housing 16 having ports 11 and 18 which are independently connected to supply tanks. There may be more than two parts in this distribution valve when it is desired to connect the system to more than two tanks.

The port 11 leads to a port 19 and thev port l18' leads to a port 80. A valve disk 8| actuatedby a valve stem 82 is moved so as to cover'all but one of the ports 'so that fuel will ow fromthe tank through the uncovered port into the cham@ ber 83. 'I'he valve stein has an arm 8l carrying a member which contacts with the valve disk and presses the same tightly against the' valve seat. A spring 86 bears against this member.'

and against the ball 81 moving on.a hardened collar formed with depressions which yieldingly stops the vaivein a. set position.' 'I'his valve mechanism forms no part of the present invention.

The housing 16 for the distribution unit is provided with a flange 88 which contacts with a flange 88 on the strainer housing, and the two anges are detachably connected by bolts 90, 90 A packing gasket 9| is provided for `making a iluidtight connection.

From the above it will be apparent that a fuel distributing unit has been provided wherein all of the essential features of the unit are selfcontained in separate housings or casings which are detachably and directly connected to form the unit. Each one of these auxiliary units making up the fuel distributing unit may be separately manufactured and when assembled will produce a rigid unit structure, free from any interconnecting pipes and wherein the fuel flows directly fromv-one auxiliary unit into an other.v When these auxiliary units are selfcontained, they cannot only be separately manufactured, but can be readily replaced without necessitating the replacement of the entire unit. It will be noted that the fuel fromthe' strainer chamber passes directly to the hand-operated pump and thence around the power-operated .pump when the latter is idle and the hand- Likewise; when the operated pump. is in action. power-operated pump is in action, the fuel p/asses around the hand-operated pump and not through the same. This provides a very simple supply system which can be very readily serviced.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from lthe spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I .claim as new and desire to secure' by Letters Patent, is:

1. A fuel Asystem comprising a power-operated self-contained pump including a casing having an intake port and a delivery port, a self-contained hand-operated pump including a casing having' an intake port and a delivery port, the

l casing of the power-operated pump at the intake side thereof having a flange, and said casing of the hand-operated pump at the outlet side thereof having a similar flange, and means for securing 'said flanges together whereby the power-operated pump and the hand-operated pump may be separated as units, means for 'connecting the intake port of the casing for the power-operated pump to the outlet port thereof including a valve for permitting fuel to by-pass the power-operated pump when said pump is inoperative and fuel is delivered by the hand-operated pump, a housing directly and detachably connected to the casingof the hand-operated pump, :said housing being connected to the intake port of the the hand-operated.. pump whereby fuel may be supplied directly to the power-operated pump .when the hand-operated pump is inoperative,

iii power-operated pump and' to the intake port of so that the outletport of the hand-operated y pump is connected to the intake port of the power-operated pump, means for connecting the intake port of the casing for the power-operated 'pump to the outlet port thereof including a valve for permitting fuel to 'by-pass the power-operated pump when said pump is inoperative and fuel is delivered by the hand-operated'pump, and means connected to the casing for the hand-operated pump for supplying fuel to theintake port thereof and to the casing at the Aoutlet side thereof including" a valve for permitting fuel to ow directly to th'e outlet port of the casing for the hand-operated pump when said hand-operated pump is inoperative and for preventing the return ow of fuel fromV the outlet to the intake of the hand-operated pump when in operation.

3. A fuel system comprising a power-operated self-contained pump including a casing having an intake port and a delivery port, a self-contained hand-operated pump including a casing having an intake port and a delivery port, said casings being directly and detachably connected so that the outlet port of the hand-operated pump is connected to the intake port of the power-operated pump, and means for connecting the intake port-of the casing for the poweroperated pump to the outlet port thereof including a valve for permitting fuel to by-pass the power-operated pump when said pump is inoperative and fuel is delivered by the handoperated pump, a housing directly and detachably connected to the casing of the hand-operated pump, said housing being connected to the intake port of the pump and to the outlet port thereof whereby fuel may be supplied directly to the power-operated pump when the handoperated pump is inoperative and may be supplied to the hand-operated pump when the power-operated pump is inoperative, and a valve in said last-named housing for preventing the return flow of fuel from the outlet to the intake of the hand-operated pump when in operation.

4. A fuel system comprising a power-operated, self-contained pump including a casing having an intake port and a delivery port, a self-contained, hand-operated pump having an outlet port connected to the intake port of the poweroperated pump, a housing directly and detachably connected to the casing of the power-operated pump, said casing for the power-operated pump and said housing having ports connecting the intake port and the delivery port of the' power-operated pump, a valve mechanism located in said housing including a valve through which fuel from the hand-operated pump is bypassed about the power-operated pump when said power-operated pump is inoperative, and a valve through which fuel is bypassed from the delivery end of the power-operated pump to the intake end thereof when the power-operated pump is in action and the fuel reaches a predetermined pressure, 4a housing directly and detachably connected to the casing of the hand-operated pump, said housing being connected to the intake port of the power-operated pump and to the intake port of the hand-operated pump whereby fuel may be supplied directly to the power-operated pump when the hand-operated pump is inoperative, and may be supplied to the hand-operated pump when the power-operated pump is inoperative, and a valve in said last-named housing for preventing the return flow of fuel from the outlet to the intake of the hand-operated pump when in operation.

5. A fuel system comprising a power-operated, self-contained pump including a casing having an intake port and a delivery port, a self-contained, hand-operated pump having an outlet port connected to the intake port of the poweroperated pump, a housing directly and detachably connected to the casing of the power-operated pump, said casing for the power-operated pump and said housing having ports connecting the intake port and the delivery port of the power-operated pump, said housing having a partition dividing the same into two chambers.

one of which is connected with the delivery port of the power-operatedpump and the other of which is connected with the intake port of the power-operated pump, a port through said partition, a valve seat carried by said partition, a spring-pressed valve adapted to contact with said seat for closing said port against the passage of fuel from the delivery port of said power-operated pump to the intake side thereof until said fuel reaches a predetermined pressure, said valve having a port therethrough, a valve for closing said port, said last-named valve being disposed so as to prevent fuel from passing from the delivery port to the intake port, and yielding means for holding said valve closed so that fuel may pass from the intake port of the poweroperated pump to the delivery port thereof when said power-operated pump is inoperative and the hand pump is in operation, a housing directly and detachably connected to the casing of the hand-operated pump, said housing being connected to the intake port of the power-operated pump and to the intake port of the hand-operated pump whereby fuel may be supplied directly to the power-operated pump when the hand-'operated pump is inoperative, and may be supplied to the hand-operated pump when the power-operated pump is inoperative, and a valve in said last-named housing for preventing the return ow of fuel from the outlet to the intake of the hand-operated pump when in operation.

ARTHUR L. PARKER. 

